


Game On

by HaruHara16



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gaming, I'll add more tags as we go along~, Inspired by Sword Art Online, Multi, SAO AU but with some twists, Slow Burn, Virtual Reality
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2018-10-12
Packaged: 2018-12-25 07:03:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12030672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HaruHara16/pseuds/HaruHara16
Summary: The world’s first virtual reality game “Legendary Defenders Online” is released and it is a huge success among the public. Using advanced technology, the NerveGear console, individuals are able to experience the thrill of the adventures the game offers.But in a horrible twist of fate, all the players discover that they are unable to leave.Their only hope of escaping is to clear the game.





	1. Login

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh lookie! An SAO fan? Well, not exactly. XD
> 
> And a quick note to my [new and/or returning] readers: I will be changing Lance's siblings' names to what is mentioned in the canon [in the future]! As soon as more names come out, other names will be edited as such too. ;)
> 
> Tumblr: [HaruHara16](http://haruhara16.tumblr.com)  
> 

A long line extends from the entrance of GameStation all the way to the parking lot.

The media had been here since God knows when. They don’t hesitate to set up their cameras at all angles of the stand-alone store, broadcasting this major event for the public.

Lance, half-asleep, stretches his arms upward, yawning. He pulls out his phone and, through painfully-stinging eyes, looks at the dreadful numbers: 7:54 a.m. Lance takes both hands and rubs his entire face, groaning.

 

. . . . .

 

_4 hours ago~_

_3:54 a.m._

 

_“Lance! Why are you still awake?! Go. To. Sleep!”_

_“But Mom-“_

_“No buts, Lance! You heard your mother! Straight to bed, now!”_

_“But Dad, Legendary Defenders Online is going to be released today! I can’t miss out on any of the details!”_

_“C’mon dude, you’ve never stayed up this late before. Get some shut-eye, would ya?”_

_“I know, Nathan! I know! It’s just- this game, I’ve been waiting forever and it’s finally going to be sold to the public!”_

_“Relax, Lance. It’s not like they’ll run out of copies. If it’s as popular as everyone says it is, then they’ll make more.”_

_“Ha! That’s where you’re wrong, Carmen. There’s a total of 50,000 copies that’s going to be sold. And according to the newsfeed, the GameStation close to home is only selling 5,000 physical copies with the other 5,000 being sold online.”_

_“Wait, what?“_

_“Nathan! Can you give me a ride? I have to be there early to get in line!”_

_“Yeah, why don’t I drop your ass off right now?”_

_“Alright, let’s go!”_

_“What?! No! Go to sleep, dammit!”_

_“Please! Can one of you guys take me? This is my only chance! If I try to order it online, the system’s going to crash!”_

_“Alright! Fine, fine! I’ll take you! Mom, can you look after Adrian and Andrea for me? Hopefully, it will only take a few hours…”_

_“Sure. I can manage.”_

_“So when do you wanna leave?”_

_“How’s 6:00 for you?”_

_“…Yeah, okay. I can do that. Now sleep. Or you’re gonna regret it later.”_

_“Eh, what’s the worst that could happen?”_

 

. . . . .

 

This unbearable drop in energy, apparently. It really was a bad idea to pull an all-nighter reading up on those updates about the new game. Lance could feel his posture sag lower and lower with every counting second. The two slices of toast Carmen shoved into his mouth earlier could only last so long. He could feel his consciousness gradually ebbing away, telling him that he should just fall flat on the concrete sidewalk and sleep. Everything was no longer crystal clear to him, but a faint blur in his mind. He was exhausted.

But what keeps Lance on his feet is the sheer excitement; the realization that this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance and there was no way he could miss it. He crosses his feet and leans onto the building wall for support.

Teasers about “Legendary Defenders Online” have been made for the past 3 years and Lance had been following every single newsfeed that mentioned it. Ever since its initial announcement, he refused to spend a single penny on anything after the purchase of the NerveGear console about a few months earlier. He made the effort to put away the remainder of his savings for this very moment.

Lance’s phone vibrates. 8:00 a.m. 

_At last!_

GameStation opens its doors and the line starts to move, ever-so slightly. News reporters move in to interview the employees, which slows down the progress. Lance prays that he arrived early enough to be one of the 5,000 to physically purchase the game. Even when Carmen dropped him off to go find parking space, it looked like thousands of people were already here before him. 

Lance turns around. The line now reached all the way to the shopping center down the street. He squirms with discomfort, fearing the worst.

 

But with each step closer into GameStation, Lance’s confidence grows. The cold breeze from the air-conditioned room shakes him out of his fatigued state.

The two-story, newly-refurbished building is enormous. The bottom floor was specifically for electronics and appliances. From gaming consoles, flat-screen televisions, and stereos, it was every gamer’s dream to customize their room with the best integrated circuitry possible.

The second floor? Games and movies shelved in all corners, as far as the eye can see. Old or new, horror or comedy, each one was held in high regard. But right now, “Legendary Defenders Online” set the bar, one that no other game will probably ever be able to beat.

 

Lance finally makes it to the cash register. Behind the employee was the game, stacked into several columns.

“Congrats! You’re customer #2817!”

Lance is able to breath again. Oh thank God! He still made it.

“Okay, your total comes out to $318.95.”

Lance swipes his credit card, thanks the employee, and quickly heads out, eager to play the game as soon as he gets home. And, as luck would have it, Carmen makes her way inside.

“Alright Carmen! I’m ready! Let’s go home!”

The elder sister stops abruptly in her tracks. “Woah, hold up! What do you mean ‘Let’s go’? You’re done?”

“Yeah, paid and ready to leave.” Lance waves around his new prized-possession.

“Of all the-!“ Carmen grits her teeth and forms her hands into claws, aiming them at Lance’s head. “Do you have any idea how hard it was to find parking?! I had to go around the parking lot three times! Three times before I decided to go off into the shopping center to look! I swear, I was about to start swinging on this cranky old hag!…”

Lance stands still, afraid that his older sister might obliterate the entire store. And for good reason.

Carmen slowly cools off from her little rant. “You know what, yeah, it’s fine. Let’s go. Let’s see what suckers fight for my parking space this time.”

The siblings walk out of the store together. Carmen playfully grabs Lance’s ear. “But seriously, you’re paying for my gas with your credit card on the way home.”

Lance tries to find a way out of it. “Uhh, my undying love for you isn’t enough, sis?”

“Nuh-uh,” Carmen doesn’t buy it. “Sorry, Lance. But my gas tank don’t run on sibling love."

 

* * *

 

Lance lays splat on the couch, hogging its entirety and leaving room for no one.

“Lance, get up.”

He wakes with a shudder. With half-open eyes, Lance takes a brief moment to recollect his groggy thoughts. _Tired… GameStation… $347.51…_

“C’mon Lance, I wanna sit down for a bit. Move aside.”

Lance looks up to see Nathan using the TV remote to poke at his feet. He bends his legs as to take up only half the couch, giving his brother space to sit down.

“Welcome back.” greets Nathan.

“Ah, shut up.” Lance lightly kicks Nathan’s arm. He grabs his phone, face-down the floor, and unlocks the screen. 12:30 p.m.

_Oh, that’s right. I passed out the moment I got home._

“Hey, Uncle Lance!” Adrian and Andrea run right towards him, climbing atop of his still-numb body. Despite that, Lance embraces them with a hug.

“Are we gonna get to play that new game you bought?”

“Yeah! I wanna be a legendary defender too!”

“Ah, sorry guy," Lance says apologetically. "That game is for teens and up only. Plus, I only have one NerveGear console.”

“Aww! But I’m not a scaredy-cat! I can do it!”

“Me neither! I bet I can fight all the monsters in the game and win!”

“I know you guys can.” Lance ruffles their hair. “Don’t worry. I’ll buy you guys another game to play next week. I still have a few hundred left…”

“Yaaay!”

Nathan slaps his hands on his thighs. “Alright you two. Let’s get going.”

Lance looks up. “Huh? Where are you guys going?”

“It’s Field Day at the elementary school. Carmen left once she dropped you off at home, Mom and Dad are busy working, and I’m free today, so that puts me in charge of the little monsters.” Adrian and Andrea giggle.

“Oh, and just a heads up,” Nathan adds. “Mom says we’ll be eating pizza tonight. So don’t spoil your dinner with any snacks.”

“Did she say anything about ordering garlic knots too?” Lance asks, perking up with delight.

“She knows you too well to forget.” Nathan responds.

Lance makes a fist pump. _Yes!_

“Alright, I’ll see you later, bro.”

“Bye, Uncle Lance!”

And with a wave of goodbye, the house falls silent. The sunlight shone brilliantly through the windows, with white puffy clouds gliding through the blue sky. Days like this make Lance ashamed that he would want be cooped up in his room to test out his new game instead of being outdoors. But the long wait and money spent make him think otherwise.

 

* * *

 

Lance’s room is of average size. The change from stone-cold tile floors to soft carpet gives his feet and heart a fuzzy feeling. His bed lays vertically from the single window ahead, with a dresser standing on the left and desk right in between them, holding three desktop computers and one large case underneath.

“Alright! Let’s get this baby set up!”

There, sitting on one side of his desk coated in dust, was the dark blue NerveGear helmet. Extending from the back is a long, black wire that was already connected to the computer case below.

All he really needed to do was put the game in the disk tray.

_Wow. And here I thought it was more difficult. There should be more to this…_

The manual that came with LDO was surprisingly thick. Yeah, there was no way he was going to read through the whole thing. He skims the first few pages to find the set-up directions.

…

A small, loose-leaf paper falls out.

_“Congratulations on your LDO purchase! We hope your experience is an enjoyable one!”_

The slip finds its way into the trash.

 

_Okay…_

Chapter 1. Introduction to NerveGear

_SKIP. Not important right now._

Chapter 2. Going into FullDive

_That sounds about right._

A FullDive is the act of linking to the virtual reality. Once you have placed your game into the disc tray and your console is connected to the computer case, the NerveGear is ready for use. To begin, say “Link Start.”

From there, NerveGear will respond to your voice command and do a neural interface so you can create your profile.....

Chapter 3. Introduction to LDO

Aincrad is the name of the virtual world you will be exploring and Kerberos is the first settlement you will be transported to. You can begin your first purchase of a weapon in any of the booths or stores here…

Chapter 4. .....

Chapter 5. ...

Lance tosses the manual on his desk. _That wasn’t so hard._

He takes the NerveGear helmet, blows off some the dust, and places it over his head. He turns on the power button of his computer case and lays himself comfortably onto his bed. The soft humming eases the mixed emotions flooding his mind. On the right corner, the battery is fully charged at 100%. On the left, the digital clock strikes 1:00 p.m. on the dot.

Lance closes his eyes. 

“Link start!”

Everything goes white. A series of colorful, digital orbs fly toward him. Then, white again.

 

**Scanning…**

**Touch: OK**

**Sight: OK**

**Hearing: OK**

**Taste: OK**

**Smell: OK**

 

**Select Your Language: English**

 

**Login or Create New Avatar?**

 

**Create a New Avatar**

**Name: Lance McClain**

**Gender: Male**

**Login Username: cool-ninjasharpshooter17**

**Login Password: #iGotMadSkillz728**

**Reenter Password: #iGotMadSkillz728**

 

_**WELCOME TO LEGENDARY DEFENDERS ONLINE!** _

 

The screen now warps into some sort of blue wormhole, then nothing.

Blue fragments that surround his body float into the sky. Lance could hear his heart beat at a calm pace. He blinks and takes deep breaths. In front of him, a large circular plaza with marble pillars of intricate design stretch 100 feet in the air. Large vases with sage plants align at the exits of the plaza. Its sweet pineapple aroma is unmistakable. Around him, more players start logging in.

Lance peeks at his outfit. Everything is the still the same. 

_Eh, I guess that’s a start. Pretty sure I can change things up eventually._

He clenches his fists, brimming with joy. _Alright!_

Lance exits the plaza and out into the city of Kerberos. _Okay, where’s the closest blacksmith’s shop around here?_

Small booths were set up on both sides of the stone-paved streets, almost like a flea market. The gaps in between each booth were entrances to other markets and shops. Personal ornaments, food, and even ammunition. Not to mention, there were some good-looking ladies out there. _Gamer girls? Awesome!_

Lance’s enthusiasm and infatuation blinds him for a split second that at the turn of a corner, he crashes into something. His cheeks squish into what feels like a firm yet soft mattress. A tray of curly fries hits the ground, along with Lance’s bottom.

Towering above him is a boy of immense size. 

_Not something, someone!_

Lance can’t make out his face due to the sunlight above. His bulkiness doesn’t exactly seem like fat, but more like dense muscles. Just from the looks of it, the boy could easily crush Lance without even trying. His hands steadily reach out.

Lance panics and crawls back a few steps, thinking the boy is going to pick him up by the jacket. He turns his face away and raises one hand for defense, expecting to be manhandled right then and there.

“Oh no! My fries!” The boy is on his knees, with faint tears visible in his eyes.

_What?_

“Aww, man! And I just spent the last of my silver pieces for it too!”

 _Huh?_ Lance is dumbstruck at the current outcome of this whole mess. _Why am I not getting strangled?_ Still fearing for his life, Lance blurts out an apology.

“S-sorry, dude! I should’ve watched where I was going! That was my bad!”

The boy sighs and locks eyes with Lance. “Oh well. It’s fine, I can easily earn more silver pieces by defeating some more wild animals in the grass fields. Are you okay, though?” The boy offers his hand. “That was a pretty hard fall.”

“Uh, yeah,” Lance slowly reaches out and is easily hoisted up. “I’m just… overly excited and didn’t pay attention.”

Now face-to-face, Lance can distinguish more of the boy’s traits. His hair was parted in the middle with two bangs falling on the sides of his head. His forehead was covered by a thin, light-orange bandana and his face wore an amiable smile. His outfit? Decent. The boy didn’t seem at all violent or dangerous…

Lance looks at the broken fries on the floor. “Hey, where’d you get those anyway? They smelled good.”

“Down the block,” The boy points. “A tray’s only worth 20 silver pieces today.” Did you purchase a weapon for yourself yet?”

“I’m actually looking for a blacksmith’s shop right now. You got any idea of where I can find one?” Lance asks.

“Yeah. There’s literally one next to the burger stand where I bought my fries. C’mon, I’ll show you.”

 

* * *

 

The grasslands were beautiful and the vast landscape was incredibly stunning. The cool breeze that brushes Lance’s face and flails his hair around mildly distracts him. His jacket, tied around his waist, whips into his legs multiple times.

No. 

He regains his focus. 

His target, a grey wolf, stands 30 feet away. He pulls out an arrow from the cylindrical quiver on his back and aims. Calm and motionless, the whistling in his ears no longer divert his attention. The wolf was his objective. He takes a deep breath, draws his arm back and smiles.

He releases.

THUNK.

The arrowhead pierces the ribcage of the wolf. Its health bar quickly depletes to 0, turning it into fragments of data particles.

A notification pops up.

 

**You Win!**

**EXP Gained: 10**

**Silver Pieces Earned: 5**

 

**Level Up! You are now _Level 4_!**

 

“Nice one, Lance!” 

“Thanks, Hunk!” The two share a high five.

“See? You’re already catching up to my level.” Hunk compliments.

“Pfft. I told you I got this. Piece o’ cake!” Lance places himself between the bow’s strap and hangs it on his back. He stretches his arms to relieve the strain.

“The best part is,” Hunk informs, “your weaponry can gradually update or even take a completely new form as you level up. Though it does depend on the weapon itself and your personal skills.”

“I know right?! That’s awesome!” Lance could barely contain himself. “That hammer of yours does some pretty crazy damage too.”

The few hours they’ve been messing around in the fields have been paying off quite well. It was immensely populated with wild creatures like grey wolves, foxes, and boars, so it was a good place to practice and try out stuff. Not only that, it’s the easiest way to gain a fair amount of EXP and money.

The sky, now burning orange, shines onto the fields. The boys sit down and admire the radiance of the dazzling view. They were so caught up testing out their newfound skills that they ignored the ravishing beauty right in front of them.

“I still can’t believe that this is a game.” says Lance, breaking the silence.

“Yeah, it’s crazy,” says Hunk. “Whoever made LDO must really pay meticulous attention to details.” He grabs some strands of grass. “I’m super happy I was able to get buy the game online. There were no gaming stores near my home.”

“You’re lucky,” says Lance. “If I tried doing that, my computer would crash. The system sucks so I had to wake up at 6:00 this morning just to get in line and buy it physically.”

“Wow dude, you must really be into this to force yourself up that early.” Hunk gradually breaks his grass strands into smaller pieces and releases them.

“Yeah. I’ve been following all the newsfeed about it for the past 3 years.” Lance looks at part of his face reflecting in an arrowhead. “I’ve never been more psyched about anything in my life. He stands. “So! How ‘bout we do some more hunting?”

“Count me in, bro!… But, uh-“ Hunk pauses and wraps his arms around his stomach. “I’ve kinda been itching to get some real food. My family’s going out for some burritos tonight and I don’t wanna miss that.”

“Really? My family’s actually bringing pizza home today. We sure are eating healthy, aren’t we?”

They holler with laughter.

“I’ll probably log back in after an hour or so. We can go hunting again afterwards.”

“Right on! Okay, I’ll see you later, Hunk.”

The boys fist bump, turn in opposite directions, and open their main menus. But the moment the screen comes on, a cold feeling sweeps over Lance.

 

“….. Uh… Hunk?” Lance’s voice cracks.

“Yeah?…” _Oh good, Hunk’s still here._

“Are you seeing what I’m seeing?…”

“Yeah… There’s no logout button.”

 

The two turn to face each other.

“That’s weird,” Lance tries looking through the Options button. “You think it might be just a minor technical failure? I mean, lots of people logged in today.”

Hunk scrolls through the Help button, frowning. “Probably… I can’t seem to contact the game master either.”

“Is there another way to log out?” asks Lance.

Hunk thinks for a moment. “No. The only way for a player to log out on their own is through the log out button on the main menu.”

Lance grows more nervous. “What? There’s gotta be some other way.”

“No, Lance,” Hunk says with certainty. “The manual didn’t state anything about emergency logouts either.”

_Crap! The manual!_

Lance tries to come up with more ideas. “Well, uh- what about the NerveGear helmet? Maybe we can pull it off our heads somehow?”

“We can’t do that either.” Hunk thinks back to what he read in the manual. “The NerveGear has a component that is designed to intercept all brain signals involving movement in the real world. Remember when you created your avatar? The NerveGear’s transceivers were accessing our brains at the time. It scanned our entire physical body in order for us to remain motionless in the real world but also be able to use our five senses in this game.”

Lance could feel the chill in his body grow colder and colder.“… So that means… we’re going to have to wait until the gaming administrators fix this bug?”

“Yeah, or for someone in the real world to take the NerveGear off for us.” Hunk’s finger still hovers over his main menu screen.

Their terrifying conversation goes silent for a few seconds. Lance, between his trepidation, still questions the situation. “But don’t you think it’s weird though, Hunk? The inability to let players log out is a major flaw that would heavily impact LDO. I don’t think something like this can be a simple “bug.”

“I’m sure this whole thing could be resolved if the gaming administrators rebooted the server and forcibly disconnected everyone,” says Hunk. “But that means a message should have been sent out to all of us. But, why haven’t they…?”

Hunk is cut off by the sound of a bell. Low and eerie, it echoes throughout the game floor at an slow rhythm. The boys stand frozen. Lance opens his mouth to say something, but he and Hunk are instantly shrouded by a familiar blue light and they vanish from the grass fields.

 

* * *

 

Lance blinks as the blue light fades into data fragments. The familiar smell of pineapple fills his nose and the sight of tall marble pillars causes his chest to tighten. “Why are we back at the central plaza?”

Hunk speaks loudly enough for Lance to hear. “A forced teleport?… But it looks like everyone is being teleported here too.”

One after another, a flash of blue light revealed another player. The plaza grew more and more crowded. _What the hell is going on?_

The sound of the ominous bell stopped. A beeping sound now blares in its place. In the sky, a red panel flashes repeatedly.

**WARNING**

Suddenly, the red panel multiplies and engulfs the entire sky. It breaks into smaller pieces and falls to form a large figure cloaked with a robe. It stares down at its onlookers with glowing purple eyes. People loudly ask questions of bewilderment.

_“Is that the Game Master?”_

_“Why is he hiding his face?”_

_“Is this supposed to be some sort of opening ceremony?”_

The figure raises its arms and addresses its audience. **“Players, welcome to my world.”**

Lance stares hard at the figure. “ _My_ world?”

**“I am Zarkon, the one and only person who can currently control this game.”**

“Lance!” Hunk hisses. “It’s him! He’s the creator of LDO!” More murmurs follow.

 **"I'm sure you've noticed that the log out button appears to be missing from the main menu.”** Zarkon swipes open his own screen to point it out to his spectators. **“However, this is by no means a mistake. You are all unable to log out of Legendary Defenders Online and no one in the real world can remove the NerveGear or interrupt its operation.”**

_What?_

**“Should this be attempted, the NerveGear’s high-density transceivers will emit a burst of microwave radiation to destroy your brain, thus killing you.”**

Tension and uneasiness spread throughout the crowd.

_“What’s he talking about?”_

_“Seriously?”_

“Hunk,” Lance whispers. “Is that even possible?”

“… He’s not wrong.” Hunk mutters back. “The signals emitted from the NerveGear are exactly the same as microwaves. If the safety were to be shut off, frying a brain wouldn’t be impossible…”

“What about cutting off the power?…”

“We can’t… The NerveGear helmet has an internal battery.”

Lance’s eyes widen; he remembers seeing the battery at full percentage just before going into FullDive. Beads of sweat fall from his head. “This… this is ridiculous!”

 **“Unfortunately,”** Zarkon continues. **“Many players’ families and friends have disregarded the warning and attempted to forcibly remove the NerveGear. As a result, 610 lives of the original 50,000 were lost, from both this world and the real world.”**

Various screens appear. **“News of my warning and of the deceased victims are being spread worldwide. And because of that, the number of removal attempts have quickly become minimal.”**

The horror and panic in the public’s eyes were now unmistakable.

**“From this point on, methods of “life” revivals in the game will no longer function. Once your HP hits 0, your avatar will perish and, consequently, the NerveGear will destroy your brain.”**

**“Your only means of escape is the completion of this game. The world of Aincrad is composed of many different civilizations. Events, daily dungeons, and training grounds will be advantageous should you choose to participate.”**

**“There are multiple boss levels you must defeat. But take heed, the difficulty of each challenge increases by the thousand-fold.**

_“What the hell?!”_

_“You’ve gotta be kidding me!”_

The distressed chatters are soon hushed by Zarkon’s voice. **“Of course, you must be thinking, why? Why would I, the great Zarkon, the creator of LDO and NerveGear, do this?”**

 **“The answer is simple. I wanted a world to rule as king, as emperor. And now, my goal is finally achieved.** **This concludes the tutorial for the official launch of Legendary Defenders Online.”**

Zarkon’s robed figure begins to disintegrate into data particles of red and purple. In a swift, he evaporates into thin air. All that remains is the burning orange sky. Shocked silence fills the central plaza. Then, in mere seconds, pandemonium ensues. 

_“This is a load of bull!”_

_“Let me log out already!”_

_“I can’t stay here forever!”_

_“Let us go!”_

Lance couldn’t make out any clear sentences. All he heard were cries and screams. He wanted to yell too, but no words could come out. _This is all a joke, right?….. No, it can’t be… The logout button…_

Snapping to his senses, he grabs Hunk by the wrist and drags him into an alleyway.

Once the two were alone, it was then that Lance noticed the tears falling from Hunk’s eyes. He had been crying the entire time.

“Hunk?” Lance calls out to him.

After wiping his eyes with his sleeve and a few sniffles, Hunk manages to utter a response. “…Yeah…?”

“We… We have to stick together now.” Lance chooses his words carefully. “If we go our separate ways, there’s no way we’ll be able to make it out in one piece. Besides, I need your help, buddy.”

“…..” Hunk just stares at the ground, shaking.

“Please Hunk. I could already tell that you’ve done your part reading through the manual. My knowledge on the game through news updates can only get us so far. I’m going to need your own detailed-oriented expertise for us to beat this game and go home.”

Hunk clenches his fists and eventually works up the courage to speak. “Yeah… Okay.”

He takes a deep breath and pulls open his main menu screen. He searches through his tabs to find the map of Aincrad. “Alright… first, we’re going to need lots of resource items. The town of Kerberos doesn’t seem to have much to offer, so I suggest we move on to Arusian village next. We may encounter some wild creatures along the way, but that will be good since we can earn some more money. Our minor training in the grass fields should be sufficient. Once we get there, we can visit the shops and then head to the practice arena to sharpen up our skills.”

Hunk closes his screen and looks to Lance for some sort of feedback after his long proposition.

“Perfect. Let’s go.”

The two head out of Kerberos, running full speed. Lance looks ahead at what seems to be an endless path, set ablaze by the sunset. In his mind, he sees them; his family, all mourning at his bedside. Who would have thought that everything that happened earlier would probably have been his last moments with them? Lance feels his tears blinding his vision. He ultimately accepts the inevitable truth: If he dies in this game, he’ll die for real. He won’t ever see his family again…

All of a sudden, Lance hears gasps for air behind him. He turns and, at the corner of his eye, he sees his friend sobbing but still pushing himself to run to keep up. Lance couldn’t imagine how painful is must be for someone as benevolent as Hunk to be stuck in a virtual world for who knows how long… with his own family grieving for him, pleading for him to wake up.

_No. We’re going to win. We're going make it out together. We have to... and we will._

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!~  
> Okay, I admit. I didn't watch the entire SAO anime series. I've only seen, maybe, the first 4 or 5 episodes in full. But other than that, I would only view some clips posted on YouTube. So for the most part, I jumped around in an uneven fashion.  
> I felt that the animation, fighting sequences, and OST were amazing. But the storytelling pace, not so much... >.<  
> In my opinion, it felt too rushed and didn't flow smoothly in terms of a steady plot.  
> Still, the idea of being trapped in a virtual reality was interesting to me, so I decided to put Team Voltron in it. Plus, this gives me a bigger opportunity to create my own "arcs"/"episodic chapters."  
> So I hope you guys stick along for the ride! :D


	2. Practice Mode

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LIIIIIIIIIIVE! >:D  
> To be honest you guys, this chapter was planned to be uploaded just several days before school season started in the fall. But I guess my timing was off and I ended up not finishing. >3<  
> But here it is! I'm so happy to finally have some time to continue working on this again.~ ^_^
> 
> Tumblr: [HaruHara16](http://haruhara16.tumblr.com)  
> 

“Okay, okay. I think I got it now.” Lance looks down as he wiggles his fingers. “Ask me some of those questions again.”

Hunk reads off of his screen. “Okay. How many silver pieces equals one gold piece?”

“100 silver pieces.”

“And how many players can form a guild together?”

“10 is the max, 5 is the recommended minimum.”

“Now,” Hunk pauses to sneak a peek at the confident Lance. “Name all the types of crystals, their respective colors, and usage.”

Lance’s face does a complete 180. “Umm. So the… Healing Crystal is… blue? It completely heals a player of any negative effects?… The, uh, Antidote Crystal is green? It restores a player to full health… And the Teleport Crystal is purple. It lets us teleport to any location within Aincrad?”

Hunk peers at his teammate. “Well, you got that last sentence right. But everything else was wrong.”

“The Healing Crystal is Green. It restores a player to full health.”

“The Antidote Crystal is Purple. It cures a player of all negative status effects.”

“The Teleport Crystal is Blue. And yeap, it lets players teleport to any desired location of Aincrad.”

“Aww, man!” Lance facepalms. “I can’t believe I mixed that one up again! And we went over that one 14 times already.”

“This counts as 15.” Hunk corrects him. “I know it’s a lot to take in, but you should really try to remember those. They’re the most important and most expensive items of this game.”

Lance sighs. “Yeah, I know…”

“I’m still surprised you skipped out on reading the guidebook,” says Hunk as he sends the notes to Lance. “It literally had everything in there. It would’ve been a good idea to get an idea of the game before jumping in headfirst.”

“Hey, hey, if we weren’t stuck here, I would’ve taken some time to read through it.” Lance affirmed defensively.

“Well, you can’t do that anymore… But that’s why you got me, right?” Hunk wraps an arm around Lance, making him stumble a bit.

“True. True.” Lance smiles back.

He looks ahead at the masses moving in all directions. They had finally made it to the Arusian village. Now, they were currently enjoying themselves right outside of a small restaurant they had just dined in a few hours ago. 800 silver pieces gone, but a meal fit for two after a long and emotionally painful run.

The Arusian village was of moderate size. The homes and stores were built to be eco-friendly and energy-efficient. In truth, the whole place still seemed to be in an agricultural state of development, but the players that come and go somehow made it work to their benefit.

“So Hunk,” Lance gently pulls away from Hunk’s grasp. “Where should we head to next?”

“We need to find an items store.” Hunk opens his map to confirm. “There’s a lot nearby since the village isn’t that big. But I suggest going to one that’s a bit farther. The prices are much cheaper.”

Lance sips the last of his drink and tosses it into a trash can. “Alright. Lead the way, buddy.” 

 

* * *

 

“Hunk, you ever wonder how we’re supposed to go to the bathroom?” Lance asks out of the blue.

“Wait, what?” Hunk shoots a peculiar face at his friend. “Where’s this coming from?”

“No, man. I’m serious,” Lance continues. “I mean, with the amount of food and drinks we take in, shouldn’t we feel the urge to.. you know… go?”

“Well, I guess,” Hunk thinks for a second. “But I figured if our real bodies were immovable, our internal system would be in stasis too. Maybe by consuming food here, it just triggers a signal to our brain not to be hungry anymore, since it is, technically, the only thing functioning…”

“Huh. So I guess that’s a no, then?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

The two laugh before stopping at their destination: a conventional and cozy one-story shop. Outside, soiled and green-roofed. Inside, smooth-stoned and miniature. Not much, but still cute.

There were only one person at the front, standing on a stool organizing the shelf behind the counter. She kindly welcomed her customers. “Welcome, players! You can call me Moontow. Please don’t hesitate to ask me if you need any help.”

“How adorable! She’s so small.” Hunk whispers.

“Maybe we should knit her a sweater.” Lance elbows his friend.

“Actually,” Hunk speaks up for Moontow to hear. “We’re in need of some items. Do you happen to have any of these in stock?”

He walks up to her and sends a list of information from his profile screen.

“Of course,” Moontow scrolls through the list. “We have plenty of these. Would you like to purchase them in packs or individually?”

“As a complete package, please.” 

While Hunk waits patiently for the friendly employee to return with products from the back storage, Lance wanders around the teeny shop and examines a few of the merchandise on the shelves. 

 

Soulstones: **ON SALE!**

_10 silver pieces each_

_20 silver pieces per pack_

 

Remedy Charms: **ON SALE!**

_15 silver pieces each_

_30 silver pieces per pack_

 

Mochi: **BIG SALE!**

_5 silver pieces each_

_10 silver pieces per pack_

 

Curious, Lance opens his main menu screen and looks for the Help Button. He types each of the items’ into the Search bar.

 

**Soulstones**

_These transparent stones allow you to recover your HP by 50%._

 

**Remedy Charms**

_This “lucky charm” helps reduce any negative status effects. It will not cure you, but it will slow down the damage done to your HP._

 

**Mochi**

_A delicious snack to bring along during your adventures! Also edible for ANY animal companions!_

 

“Hey, Hunk. You’re purchasing soulstones and remedy charms too, right?” Lance calls out.

“Yeah,” Hunk responds. “They’re already part of the pack I’m buying for us right now.”

“Great.” Lance grabs six bags of mochi from the shelf and brings it to the front counter.

At that moment, Moontow comes back out, teetering from side to side, with two boxes.

“Okay! Here you are! Inside each, there are…” she looks back at the list Hunk sent her. “There are 20 soulstones, 10 remedy charms, 3 healing crystals, 2 antidote crystals, and 2 teleport crystals.”

“And I’m sorry I couldn’t provide you with more crystals,” says Moontow, apologetically. “My village doesn’t supply them in high numbers. We only get them through generous donations or by trading with other players and civilizations.”

“No, that’s alright. We’re grateful for anything you can give us,” Lance comforts her sorrowful expression. “Oh, and don’t forget to count these packs of mochi.” He waves the bags to point them out.

“Are you sure we really need those?” Hunk asks. “We’re already kinda in short supply of money.”

“Don’t worry, Hunk.” Lance assures him. “I’ll pay for all this. Besides, we might need some refreshments when we head to the training grounds later today.”

“Ohh, you’re right! Good thinking, Lance!” Hunk squees with delight. “Speaking of which, do you happen to know the closest way to get to the training center, Moontow?”

“Yeah,” she says as she adds up the total value of the items on the counter. “The arena is at the southern end of our village. Just exit my shop and head right. You’ll know it’s the arena because it’s probably the only high-tech asset we’ve got.”

“That’s cool,” Lance remarks. “Do all other cities and villages have a training center? Or is it just a lucky few?”

“From what I heard, most civilizations do have at least one and they are quite similar in terms of design. But that’s all I know… You’ll probably find out more once you get there… Okay, your total is 1,800 silver pieces.”

Without hesitating, Lance sends Moontow a satchel of 2,000 silver pieces. The boys upload their packages into their inventory, thank her, and head out.

“Good luck, players!” Moontow yells after them.

 

* * *

 

“Wow. Moontow wasn’t kidding about the whole “high-tech” thing.” Lance stares at the outside of the training center in awe.

“Yah, et shur luks amayzhing!” says Hunk as he shoves some mochi into his mouth.

The mix of limestone and titanium illuminates the building. Over six stories high, it steals over thousands of acres into the land. Its basic shape appears horizontally elliptical, but it also has an unusual interconnection of curves and turns at each increasing level. Glass windows from unexpected corners reflect the artificial sunlight and were clear enough to see players venture around its vast perimeter.

Another building on the side shares the space. It’s about the same height as the training center, but more cubicle and simplistic in design choices; gray concrete and marble.

Hunk and Lance stand right at the front entrance of the training center, just below an extending panel for shade held up by two cylindrical pillars on both ends. It presents the entryway through a pattern of crystal-clear rectangular windows at a height of 75 feet. 

“If this is how the outside looks, I can’t imagine the inside…” Lance admires the building’s staggering beauty.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Hunk stows away his unfinished bag of mochi. “Let’s go.”

 

. . . . .

 

“So do you wanna hang out in the arena stands first or…?” Lance skims a the brochure in his hand as he walks.

“Maybe we should go to the wardrobe corner.” Hunk proposes. “I already got us a room for the night. Plus, the lady at the front desk said that our current clothes weren’t exactly battle material.”

“Yeah…” Lance focuses on the pamphlet in his hand.

 

_**AINCRAD TRAINING CENTERS** _

\- Players are welcome to hit the training decks as they practice to improve their skills and level up!

\- The best place to earn silver/gold pieces and gain more EXP!

 

**WHAT DO WE OFFER?**

_\- Dorms Rooms/Dining Rooms_

Planning on sticking around for a while? We offer five-star luxury accommodations and the best meals possible!

Purchase a single or double room of your choice! Prices start at only 500 silver pieces (or 5 gold pieces) per night.

For more information, head to the front desk at the first floor entrance.

 

_\- Wardrobe Closet_

Choose from a variety of clothing and customize your own outfits! Everything is free of charge! But hurry! It’s on a first come, first serve basis!

 

_\- Training Deck_

Practice with an invisible max or spar with drones, gladiators, and sentries! Levels and intensity are set at the player’s choosing!

 

_\- Battle Arena_

Want to challenge other players? Head to the battle arena precinct and engage in a friendly combat!

 

 _ **NEW!**_ **The Grand Festival!**

_An international festival where players around the world can come together! This annual event is celebrated with parades, dances, and an official combat tournament!_

_**Next event: TBA SOON** _

 

“Lance. Over there.” Hunk points to a large sector of clothing, separated by numerous racks.

 

Two banners hang from the ceiling. 

_Light Armor_

_Heavy Armor_

 

“Cool!” Lance immediately rushes in with Hunk following closely behind. 

 

* * *

 

CRACK

Three circular drones in a single file line collide into one another and dissolve into data fragments.

 

**You Win!**

**EXP Gained: 50**

**Silver Pieces Earned: 100**

**Gold Pieces Earned: 1**

 

**Level Up! You are now Level 12!**

 

“Whoo! Nice job, Hunk!” Lance shouts from a distance.

“Thanks!” Hunk tightens his headband. “That wasn’t so bad.”

Hunk opens his main menu and smiles at his progress.

“This is great! We’ve earned twice as much money and EXP and we’re leveling up so quickly!” 

Lance opens and scrolls through his own stats.

 

**Lance McClain**

**Level 10**

**HP: 2,000/2,000**

**Silver: 10,510**

**Gold: 18**

**EXP until Level Up: 350**

 

“That’s only because the drones were in idle mode.” Lance pulls open another screen for the training deck and swipes through. “There’s also active mode… and gladiators. Oh yeah, we gotta try that later… and a bar where we can increase the drones’ skill level. _I wonder what would happen if it was set all the way up…_

As if reading Lance’s mind, Hunk tries to stop him. “Lance, wait-!” 

With the press of a button, drones pour out of the walls and surround the trainees. Lance prepares to fire an arrow, but he is quickly overwhelmed by rapid-fire beams from all directions. Hunk takes cover at the walls, away from the barrage of gunfire as best as he can while his partner is left prancing and screaming around their training arena.

In the midst of his elusive dance, Lance catches sight of a single drone at a daring height amongst the rest. It hangs just several feet higher above his head, but the lack of protection from other drones by its side leaves it vulnerable. _Worth a shot._

With a goal set in mind, Lance pushes himself to run faster; to avoid the laser beams firing all around by ducking and sliding. His balance is soon pushed off by an unexpected shot at his feet, but Lance uses this as an opportunity to regain enough momentum to jump back. 

For a moment, everything slows down. Lance eyes his target. Somewhere in the background, a discordant mixture of sounds echo in his ears, threatening to draw his attention away. Between shouts of panic, roaring laughter, and onslaught of blazing laser beams, Lance feels the pressure feeding off of his fear. But in a calm and collected manner, he takes a slow and deep breath. In through the nose and out his mouth. One chance, one shot.

The chaos that encloses the training deck no longer distracts him. Lance narrows his gaze onto the drone straight ahead. Still airborne, he draws his arm back with an arrow pointed at a steep angle, prepared to engage.

The drone charges up to fire a beam, which signals the archer to fire.

It pierces straight through the bot and it disintegrates into small particles. Lance raises both hands in triumph of his attempt and success.

But his victory is cut short when the remaining bots suddenly descend at a lower level, encircling the rookie sharpshooter. With not enough time to aim or land on the floor, Lance braces himself for an attack.

A drone from behind fires a shot into Lance’s back. He doesn’t feel any pain, but the sheer force causes him to fly forward and land face-first onto the floor.

Lance covers his head with his hands, to protect himself from the bombardment of laser beams. 

But he hears nothing.

He looks up and sees the drones withdraw from the training deck and back into the walls. 

As their numbers gradually decline, Lance picks himself up off the ground. He sees Hunk, still leaning against the wall, resetting the training system back to normal.

Lance can’t seem to think clearly at the moment. The thrill of his reckless actions still replay in his mind, all the things that happened and what could have happened. But the cheers and loud applause from the audience in the stands progressively bring him back. Lance takes a moment to briefly scan the crowd. A mix of laughing, shouting, and cheering all together. He accepts their acclamation by putting his hand in the air, smiling and waving.

“Hey Hunk,” Lance walks up to his somewhat-flustered teammate. “How ‘bout we take a break?”

 

* * *

 

“What were you thinking, Lance?!” Hunk grabs Lance by his arms.

“I know, I know, I’m sorry!” Lance puts his hands up to calm his friend down. “I didn’t think it was gonna be that bad, though…”

Hunk gently releases his grip. “Lance, you set the skill level of the drones all the way to Level 10! I told you that that was the highest!”

“I honestly didn’t expect it to be all guns-blazing like that…” Lance rubs the back of his neck.

“I still can’t believe you did that, though.” Hunk pats Lance on his back, replacing his concerned tone with a more praiseful one. 

“Yeah,” says Lance. “I didn’t think I could take the shot, but I actually did it! Still, sorry for worrying you there, bud.”

The two exchange smiles before heading out to unwind for a bit.

Lance takes a look at his new stats.

 

**Lance McClain**

**Level 15**

**HP: 3,000/3,000**

**Silver: 15,420**

**Gold: 28**

**EXP until Level Up: 850**

 

_Woah, that one blow really bumped me up a few levels._

One after another, players start approaching the pair, expressing their amazement and disbelief.

_“That was awesome, dude!”_

_“Where’d you get a guy like this as your teammate?”_

_“Teach me your ways!”_

_“We should totally train together someday!”_

_“Can I take a picture with you? Lemme get my Screen-shot Camera crystal first…”_

While Hunk bashfully speaks with some lower-level players, Lance wastes no time snapping pictures.

Before long, the hordes of players manage to convince the boys to join them in the Dining Room to talk more and they happily accept the invitation.

On their way, Lance whispers to Hunk. “I could totally get used to this.”

 

. . . . .

 

“Wow, what a day!” Lance switches his outfit into pajamas and a pair of patented fuzzy blue lion slippers. “I am going to sleep well tonight! And thanks for getting these pajamas for me, Hunk. I know it wasn’t easy.”

“Yeah, no problem. Besides, I couldn’t let you have all the fun.” Hunk shows off his own feety pajamas and yellow lion slippers. “You sure have become pretty popular.”

“Yeah, and a lot of the players are asking if we want to join their guild,” Lance says as he falls backwards on his bed. “Isn’t that awesome?”

“I think it’d be good to have more people on a team,” Hunk sets his bed up neatly before settling in. “That way we’ll be able to focus more on defeating the boss levels. We can only do so much with two players.”

“We should try battling other players tomorrow. Some of them will be there and I can't wait to see their cool weapons!” Lance waits for his friend’s response, but all he receives is soft snoring.

Lance looks over at Hunk, knocked-out cold. His mouth is wide-open, inhaling and exhaling large amounts of air; evenly paced with the rise and fall of his belly.

Lance views the time. 12:00 a.m.

He smiles to himself. _We can do this! We’re getting there!_ Before closing his eyes, Lance murmurs under his breath, “See you in the morning, buddy.”

 

* * *

 

Lance wakes to the sound of his body falling off his bed. His blanket is tied to his right leg as it hangs off the edge of the bed. He yawns, stretching his arms as far as they can go and finally finds the strength to stand.

He looks on Hunk’s bed, but it’s empty. _He must’ve gone for some breakfast. I’ll message him and see._

 

**cool-ninjasharpshooter (10:58 a.m.)**

hey Hunk. Where are you?

 

**gourmandmastermind13 (11:00 a.m.)**

nice to see you’re finally up and running. I’m in the 2nd floor Dining Room.

 

**cool-ninjasharpshooter (11:00 a.m.)**

and you didn’t wake me up?? :’(

 

**gourmandmastermind13 (11:00 a.m.)**

sorry! i just thought you looked exhausted from your “special treatment” yesterday.

 

**cool-ninjasharpshooter (11:01 p.m.)**

haha. >.>

anyways, did you book us a spot in any training deck yet?

 

**gourmandmastermind13 (11:02 p.m.)**

I can’t do that when I had to get in line again and grab several sausage-egg sandwiches for you, can i?

Can you go do it? Just speak to any person at the front desk of each floor.

if you want, you can ask for Training Deck #28. That’s the one we used yesterday.

 

**cool-ninjasharpshooter (11:02 p.m.)**

Sure thing, bud. I’ll see you in a bit.

 

. . . . . 

 

Lance makes his way to the front desk on the 2nd floor, where a young receptionist happened to be working. 

“Hi there. I’d like to request Training Deck #28, please.~” He winks and points finger guns.

The girl just giggled. “Sure, lemme take a look… Oh, I’m sorry. That one has already been booked.”

“Oh,” Lance’s face transitions to a more neutral one. “Well- uh, in that case, do you have any other unoccupied training decks?”

“…Mmm… Nope. Sorry. I’m afraid the training decks are all occupied right now. That’s never happened before…” The receptionist clicks through multiple screens on the computer. “There’s still plenty of space in the battle arenas, but I’m assuming you’d prefer to continue practicing with the drones…”

“Yeah…” 

_Great. What am I gonna tell Hunk?_

“If you don’t mind me asking, who requested Training Deck #28?”

“The young gentleman right over there.”

Lance looks to his right where the receptionist points and sees two guys were seemingly talking to several other players, about fifteen feet away from him.

One of them had a tall and muscular build. His white forelock contrasts with the rest of his black undercut hair. He has an intimidating large scar that traces across the bridge of his nose and a few across his bulky arms… Lance wasn’t sure, but he thought he also saw something fluffy move?

The other was just a tad bit shorter, maybe around Lance’s height. A head full of messy-looking hair and clearly doesn't seem very sociable. Suddenly, after a quick glance and nod from the taller man, he approaches the front desk, only to be greeted with a judgmental stare.

“What?” The guy asks innocently.

Up close, his eyes were a delicate shade of violet. Something about the purity in his question sounded quite endearing to the sharpshooter for a split second. But it is quickly brushed off at the closer sight of his pathetic haircut.

“You call that a hairstyle?” 

“What?” The tone immediately switches to annoyance, with a frowning face to follow up.

“Your hair is so outdated, man. Get a trim.” Lance couldn’t hold back his words. And, somehow, he didn’t find any reason to, seeing how his remarks were easily provoking the guy.

“Are you kidding me? That’s the first thing you say to someone you just met?“

“Someone who kinda stole my favorite training grounds.” There was no way Lance could pass up the opportunity to be back in the very place where he became quite the celebrity.

“Sorry,” the guy just shrugs. “You gotta be quick.” Lance narrows his eyes in a half-hearted threatening manner.

“Keith, did you confirm our spot in the training deck yet?” The muscle man walks up. _Oh, so that’s his name._

“Not yet, Shiro. I was just about to do that…” Keith glares at Lance, but gets a smug smile in return.

Shiro, on the other hand, addresses Lance’s presence with open arms. “Hey, aren’t you that archer that players have been talking about recently?… Uh… Lance, right? I’m Shiro.”

He reaches out his hand and Lance, with slight hesitation, accepts it. He didn’t know why he did that.

“And I see you’ve already met my younger brother, Keith. So I guess we can skip the introductions there.”

Disapproving scowls were their only response.

Lance opened his mouth to say something, until he feels something brush against his leg. He looks down and sees a giant puffball of floof.

“Do you really think it’s a good idea to let Leila roam around on her own like that, Shiro? She might get lost.”

“I’m not too worried. She never wanders off too far from my line of sight.” 

Leila, happened to be a pure white Arctic Fox. She nibbles on Lance’s boots before scampering over to her owner. Shiro picks her up and squeezes her affectionately.

“Aww, how cute.” Lance pets her as she settles on Shiro’s shoulders.

“Yeah, she is.” says Shiro as he rubs Leila’s head. “In one of my dungeon adventures with Keith, she kept following me wherever I went. So I gave in to her charms. Though, to be honest, I am kinda jealous of what Keith got for himself.”

“Jealous enough to give up Leila?” Keith arches his eyebrows.

“Okay, you got me there.” Shiro chuckles. “Alright, let’s get to training, Keith. It was nice meeting you, Lance.” Leila squeaks in reply.

Keith makes eye-contact with Lance for a second before walking off with his brother. His face neither irked nor irritated, but more so in a state of indifference.

At the collar of Keith’s jacket, something catches Lance’s eyes. The surrounding shoulder area of it appears wrinkled, as if it was clutched in many different positions. If carefully observed, a small wisp of smoke could be seen trailing behind Keith’s head, with two gleaming citrine eyes penetrating the very life force of the victim it stares into. Is that?…

“Lance! There you are!”

Lance snaps out of his temporary trance and turns to see Hunk walking up to him.

“Oh, hey.”

“So did you reserve a training deck for us?” Hunk hands over a bag of sandwiches. The growling in Lance’s stomach is more evident now as he literally throws each one down his throat. But he can’t shake off the other aching feeling of guilt mixed in between.

“Well- actually… They’re…they’re all taken.”

“Oh, really?” Hunk sounded more surprised than Lance expected. “I guess people are starting to catch on to the whole “stuck in the game” thing. We’ll have to book a training deck some other time.”

“Or,” the receptionist chimes in. “You could share a training deck, you know. It’s not mentioned in the brochure, but we do allow that.”

 Lance’s ears perk up immediately.

“Many guilds in the past few hours have been grouping up together. As long as the numbers doesn’t exceed past ten people, it’s okay. EXP is still distributed equally per individual along with the money earned.”

“I don’t know about that-“ Hunk contemplates for a moment, but is soon interrupted by Lance.

“Well then. I’d like to book a spot in Training Deck #28 within the next couple of hours, please.”

“Lance, I won’t have your crazy shenanigans again,” Hunk’s face turns serious, counting out all the possible inconveniences on his fingers. “Did you forget what happened yesterday? We can’t just barge in out of nowhere. Plus, we don’t know how our fighting styles will match up.”

“Don’t worry, pal.” Lance assured him. “I just made a few new friends and I think you’ll like them.”

 

* * *

 

“Wait, so he’s got a pet fox?” Hunk asks, eyes sparkling.

“An arctic fox, to be exact. And her name is Leila. She looked like a giant snowball.” Lance couldn’t help the giddy feeling in his stomach going on about Shiro’s animal companion. “Man, I wish I had an animal friend.”

“Me too,” Hunk’s smile grows brighter. “I actually met a few players in the Dining Room who had animal companions. Wolves, tigers, even rabbits… They can even assist players on their missions. But you have to be really lucky to come face-to-face with an animal… and it varies a lot of the time… What did you say their names were again?”

“Shiro. And Keith is his younger brother.

“Does he have an animal companion too?” Hunk eagerly awaits the answer.

“I... I dunno.” The response leaves Hunk mildly disappointed. “Shiro mentioned something about it while talking to Keith but I didn’t see one physically. _But it was like he had eyes on the back of his head_ … Aaand we’re here.”

Lance pushes open a door and enters into the concentric stands of the training deck. “Let’s find some front row seats, Hunk. We can get a better view from there.”

 

. . . . .

 

“Keith, on your six!”

With a gasp, he turns to see the staff of the gladiator soldier about to strike down on him. Thankfully, with his quick reaction and reflexes, Keith blocks the attack and finds an opening to slice through his opponent with his katar.

It dematerializes into data particles, followed by a faint round of applause from his spectators. 

 

**You Win!**

 

**EXP Gained: 150**

**Silver Pieces Earned: 300**

**Gold Pieces Earned: 15**

 

**Level Up! You are now Level 19!**

 

. . . . .

 

Keith wipes the beads of sweat dripping from his forehead, panting heavily as he looks at his stats.

 

**Keith Kogane**

**Level 19**

**HP: 3,800/3,800**

**Silver: 19,838**

**Gold: 39**

**EXP until Level Up: 1250**

 

“Keith, you okay?” Shiro picks Leila up with a single swoop and walks over to his younger brother.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”  

“You seem kinda… distracted. Leila had to jump in a few times since you since you told me you wanted Roku to step aside for a bit.”

Keith didn’t need Shiro to tell him that. He noticed it too. He left too many openings for the gladiators to counterattack. On the offense, it was easy to take down his foe with his strength and agility. But his defense was rather weak and it made him vulnerable…

_You call that a hairstyle?_

_Your hair is so outdated._

_Get a trim._

Keith toys with a few strands behind his head. _Why are you getting so worked up over something so stupid?_

“Keith, look. Someone’s waving to us.” Shiro raises his hand to someone behind Keith’s view.

Keith turns around and sees a hand waving frantically on the stands. His heart stops mid-beat once it recognizes who it is.  _Oh my God. Here too?!_

A wave back just didn’t seem fitting for Lance. He obviously couldn’t see the dirty look Keith shot at him either. So Keith greets his onlooker the only way he could: by flipping the bird, instead. 

Shiro raises an eyebrow. He doesn’t say anything, but he draws out a long sigh at his brother’s poor attempt of an acknowledgment.

“Oh yeah,” Shiro adds. “I forgot to mention something to you…”

 

. . . . . 

 

“What’d I tell you, Hunk?” Lance puts his hand down. 

“Yeah, you’re right. They made it to a Level 3 gladiator so fast. But you left out the part where Keith utterly hates your guts.” Hunk side-eyes his partner.

“Hey, I just gave him my honest opinion of his hairdo and he didn’t like it. It’s not that big a deal.” 

“It is when it’s someone you don’t know very well.”

“Anyways,” Lance changes the subject. “Isn’t Shiro at a disadvantage by using only his martial arts skills instead of a weapon?” Lance asks while watching Shiro make hand gestures at Keith. _Probably telling him how he could improve his fighting technique or something._  

“In a way, he isn’t. Hand-to-hand combat is not uncommon, you know. It’s simply another skill you can acquire aside from weaponry. It doesn’t do as much damage, but it’s still a good backup. And from the looks of it, I’m guessing this is his preference.”

Hunk’s eyes survey the clock on the opposite end of the stands, realizing how much time has gone by. And how much of a struggle they’ll be enduring soon. “I still don’t think the whole training-together thing is gonna work out, Lance. I got a baaad feeling about this.”

“C’mon Hunk,” Lance persuades. “There’s no harm done in trying something new. We’ll be okay. Besides, you got me, the cool ninja sharpshooter on your side.” He boldly points his thumbs inward towards himself.

“That’s exactly what I’m worried about.” Hunk mutters under his breath.

 

. . . . . 

 

“No.” Keith turns his head away, arms crossed, in opposition.

“Keith,” Shiro puts his hand on Keith’s shoulder as he speaks. “I know this is difficult, but I wouldn’t have agreed to share the training grounds if I didn’t believe it held any benefits for us. Or for you, in particular.”

Keith fixes his gaze onto his brother. “Look, there are a lot of things you can ask me to do, but this is not one of them. So like I said, I am NOT doing this.”

“Keith-”

“Look, I appreciate you trying to help, okay? You always have been. But I don’t need it.”

“Yes. You do.” Shiro puts a tiny bit of pressure on his grasp. “Just… give it a try. That’s all I’m asking right now.”

Keith stands silently. He wanted to continue protesting against Shiro’s decision; to find someway, or ANYWAY, really, to get out of it. But the soft expression of pleading eyes in his brother’s face somewhat alleviated the stirring displeasure in his stomach.

Leila bends her ears back as if already anticipating Keith’s answer. He then feels something sharp clutch lightly on the top of his head; a low, warm growl hums in his ears. _You too, huh?_

Keith finally sighs and submits. “Fine, fine. I’ll go along with whatever you think is right. But I’m telling you, it’s not gonna work out. 

“Well, that’s what we’re gonna find out.” Shiro smiles optimistically.

“Hey!” The brothers slightly jump at the sound of Lance’s voice.

He cheerfully walks up and introduces his teammate.

“This is Hunk, my teammate.”

“I’m Shiro. Nice to meet you.”

“Keith.”

They shake hands.

“So,” Shiro takes a deep breath. “Now that we got the greetings out of the way, how do you guys want to start?”

“Maybe the drones would be a good idea-“ Keith suggests, only for Lance to interrupt.

“Pfft. Forget it, Mullet. Let’s start the combat simulator with a Level 2 gladiator. I’m down for a challenge.”

Keith bites his lip. _No. Keep it together, man. Do it for Shiro. You can do this. Just one practice round. That’s it._  

“But Lance,” Hunk objects. “We haven’t even gaged how our fighting styles are yet.”

“Exactly.” Keith notes. “It might be kind of hard since we don’t exactly know how well our skills would complement each other. Which is why I’m saying we should start with the drones first.” 

Lance pays no attention to their advice. “Relax, Helmet Hair. If you got through Level 1 easily, then it should be no problemo with the two of us helping you out.” He shrugs it off like nothing.

Keith clenches his hands, feeling his anger rising. He can sense his composure slipping away little by little at every snide remark. This guy really is full of himself! “One, a gladiator operates very differently from a small drone. And two, my name is not Helmet Hair, it’s-!”

“What’s the matter, Mullet?” Lance smirks teasingly. “Scared I’ll one-up you in front of your brother?”

Keith snarls, letting his temper getting the better of him. All the fury brewing in his guts has taken over and, at this point, he sees no reason to continue arguing anymore. “Fine!” Keith shouts. “Shiro! Set the gladiator training sequence for Level 2!”

“Oh, no.” Hunk mumbles. 

“I’m right here, Keith. You don’t have to yell.” Shiro begins structuring the simulator. “Are you sure-“

“Yes.” Keith hisses. He summons his katar and shield from his menu screen and murmurs to himself. “I’ll show you who’s scared!”

 

* * *

 

Four players take their positions at equal distances from the center of the training deck, facing outward.

 

Hunk grips tightly onto his hammer, moderately fearful. 

Shiro stands tall with his arms in front of him, both hands in fist formation with Leila standing at his side. 

Keith hunches his back as if ready to charge at any given moment, eyes drifting around the training deck. 

 

And somehow, it lands on Lance.

The archer holds the shaft of his bow in his left hand. He reaches back with his right hand and grabs several arrows from his quiver. Keith watches as Lance gently picks at each of the arrowheads, head low with a face deep in thought; sad, almost.

_Huh._

It surprises him how, just mere minutes ago, Lance was a cocky and self-absorbed idiot. But now, the ambiance that radiated from his facial expression indicated something more along the lines of… hopelessness.

The familiarity of emotions leaves Keith in a mild daze…

It was then that Lance’s consciousness sends him signals, the kind that senses that someone’s gaze was pointed in his direction. Suddenly, from a quick turn of the head to the right, he catches Keith’s eyes on him.  

Keith immediately looks away, praying that the warmth in his cheeks isn’t visible.  _Nice going, genius! What the hell did you do that for?_  He faces at the faraway wall in front of him, hoping that the burning sensation he was feeling would disappear.

But he got the impression that Lance was still peering at him. So with what little courage he had left, Keith turns to look at Lance once more. “What the hell are you gawking at, Mullet? Stay focused or you’ll embarrass yourself!”

Keith puts on a sour face, but could still feel the redness in his cheeks flaring up. “Shut up!”

“Knock it off, you two!” Shiro yells. “The gladiator could appear at any moment and we need to be prepared!”

“Hey, it’s not my fault Keith’s staring off into space! Looks to me like he’s prepared for a major ass-whooping for his lack of concentration.”

“Uuugghhh!” Hunk facepalms.

“Are you serious right now?!” Keith yells.

“Yeah, you heard me, Mullet!”

“Why, you-!!”

 

In the midst of Keith’s sentence, the gladiator drops from a hole in the ceiling and lands right behind Hunk.

In an effort to protect him, Keith charges at the gladiator. He swings his katar, but the robot slides back just enough to dodge it. Keith jumps and attempts to strike once more, but is abruptly hit by an arrow and knocked down. He could feel Roku’s claws clasp tightly onto his jacket collar. 

“Hey, watch where you’re aiming, Lance!” a frustrated Keith yells.

“You watch where you’re going, Captain Doofus!” Lance disputed. “I wouldn’t have hit you if you hadn’t jumped in like that!”

The gladiator moves on to target the archer. 

With the gladiator pouncing at a rather fast pace, Lance rapidly grabs many arrows and fires. But he misses each time. The constant stretching quickly strains his arm and Lance is forced to fall back. The gladiator makes use of Lance’s retreat by stabbing the tip of its polearm staff into his stomach, sending a mild shock. And with little effort, it picks Lance up using the tip of the staff and tosses him towards the walls.

“Hang on, Lance! I’m coming!” Hunk runs as fast as he can, hammer at the ready. He slams it down on top of the gladiator, but it evades his attack and the hammer creates a large dent in the ground.

Hunk chases after the robot. Unfortunately, Leila comes trotting in from a perpendicular angle. Unable to slow down, Hunk panics as he trips over the fox. He barely misses her, but makes enough contact at the tip of his boots to send Leila tumbling over as well. 

She yelps and Hunk cries out. “Ohmaigod! I’m so sorry, Leila!”

“Are you two okay?!” Shiro calls out, rushing to help them. But with his attention briefly diverted, the gladiator comes up from behind and kicks Shiro on the back. It sends the man toppling over Hunk and Leila and all three are given slight shocks.

Suddenly, the gladiator stops moving and stands still. 

Then, with a flash from its eye, it proceeds to walk towards the center of the training deck. A hole opens underfoot and it jumps inside. Laughter was now audible from the stands and multiple screenshots taken of this failure of a fight were saved in personal data storage.

While Shiro helped Hunk and Leila get back up on their feet, Keith ends the training sequence using his menu screen. Lance, who is still laying sprawled on the floor, groans out loud. “Well that was embarrassing.”

 

* * *

 

The miserable souls sit together at a table in the 2nd floor Dining Room. As Hunk shoves down loaves of baked coconut bread, he feeds Leila some leftover mochi from his bag.

“That went awfully well.” Lance huffs, sarcastically. 

“It was pathetic!” Keith slams his fists on the table. “I told you we shouldn’t have started with a gladiator!”

“Okay, okay. Geez, calm down.” Lance gestures his hands in a downward fashion. “It was my bad, alright? There’s no point taking it so seriously.”

“We only lasted three minutes,” Hunk mentions with a mouthful. “If we can’t even work together like this, how are we going to be able to defeat a boss level?”

“We?” The word only serves to rile Keith up more. “There’s no ‘we’! I’m done here! 

“Keith,” Shiro calmly speaks. “It was just a practice round. We didn’t lose any money and our HP didn’t drain. There’s no need to go off about this.” 

Keith, now aggravated, leaves the table and exits the building. “No, Shiro. I’m outta here.”

Lance watches as the doors automatically close behind Keith. _Woah, what’s eating him?_

“Is he… gonna be okay?” Hunk asks Shiro.

“Don’t worry.” Shiro sighs. “He’ll... he'll be okay. I guess I should head out too. It’s late. I’ll see you guys tomorrow? Maybe?” He waves goodbye.

Leila snags a piece of mochi from Hunk before trailing behind her owner.

Lance and Hunk sit quietly, thinking back to their own performance in the training deck.

“Mind passing me a loaf, Hunk?”

 

. . . . . 

 

Keith slams his room door with all his might. He throws his entire body on his bed, face down in the blankets with legs hanging off the footboard, and his back arched inward from the awkward position. Shiro’s probably not too far behind. But he could use whatever minutes he had alone right now.

He pushes his hair backwards and lets it ruffle into a chaotic mess. Anger? Annoyance? Confusion? Keith just couldn’t find the right words to describe the mixed emotions flailing through his mind.

But he could remember every single moment in their combat simulation: Hunk tripping over Leila… Shiro getting kicked from behind… The direct hit from Lance’s arrow… and his… lifeless stare.

Brushing off the unexpected thought, Keith turns and lays on his back and stares out into the window just above his head. A golden full moon shone brightly as the stars danced alongside its glimmering radiance.

_This game isn’t something you play anymore. This is life or death; you can’t make mistakes on the battlefield…_

The walls remain as sturdy as Keith hoped they would. It worked; they have saved him so many times; protected him. But on his side, there are inaudible cries of agony and desperation for the warmth of the sun hidden behind the bricks. It was so easy to break it down, but rebuilding and fixing their chipped parts is an exhausting process. His cold, deprived body aches from the wall’s looming presence. It prays day after day that someone would be willing to take on the seemingly impossible challenge. But once they cross over, would they be willing to accept what they find on the other side?…

“It was just a practice round.” Keith softly repeated the sentence over and over again until he heard the cracks in his voice and the water in his eyes blur his vision. Thankfully, the heat emanating from Roku’s body gradually pacifies the stiffness in his shoulders and lulls Keith into a peaceful slumber. Outside, the panels in the perfect night sky flicker and glitch; a reminder to all that their souls remained trapped by a madman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enter Space Dad and his emo brother. XD
> 
> I always liked the idea of having an animal companion in a virtual game. I mean who wouldn't? :3  
> But here, I'd like to expand on the type of animals you can tame instead of just dogs and cats. ^^
> 
> This chapter was actually meant to be A LOT longer and end differently, but I felt that dividing it up would be better than cramming so much stuff into one and give more time for development. At least, that's what I'm hoping that my writing is showing or will show in the long run.~
> 
> EDIT: And on another note! I've decided to erase the part describing Team Voltron's outfit. I'm very bad with descriptions. ;___;  
> At some point, there will be some sort of specification, but it won't go so much in detail. >.<  
> I think it'd be better to leave it up to your guys' imagination; just imagine them with the SAO-kinda outfits. XD  
> Or you can go google "Voltron Fantasy AU" and view the different kinds of designs created by other amazing artists! But overall, they're kind of the style of clothing I generally would view the characters to have. ^_^


	3. Try Again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: There's a small part that may/may not be interpreted as a minor panic attack. Just a heads-up!

The rising sun shines through the uncurtained window on Keith’s side of the room. Falling asleep from exhaustion has its perks, but dry and rashy eyes aren’t a pleasant thing to wake up to; neither are the echoing voices in his head.

Keith scans the clock on his profile screen.

6:22 a.m.  
  
_Unbelievable. It’s too early. Way too early._ In fact… What happened to the good old days when he was able to fall asleep so easily like Shiro?

_Speaking of which…_

Keith turns his head to the right, where Shiro’s bed is situated. As expected, his blanket is twisted in all directions with a good half of the cotton fabric fallen flat on the wooden floor. Shiro lays on his stomach with his arms wrapped around his pillow. One leg is dangling off the edge of the bed and the other is bent towards his chest. Leila makes herself comfortable by wrapping into a ball shape around her owner’s head.

Keith scrunches his nose. _Thank God for separate beds… how can you even breathe with that lump of fur all over your face?_

Unable to go back to sleep, he sighs and, as quietly as possible, pushes himself up. Sensing movement, Leila lifts her head and meets Keith’s eyes. Shiro was always a heavy sleeper, but then again, Keith didn’t want to have a long discussion about yesterday’s incident either. So he puts his index finger to his lips and mouths the “Shh” gesture, praying the arctic fox doesn’t give him away.

And she doesn’t. Leila wags her fluffy tail and rests her head between her body, pretending as if she saw nothing.

Not wanting to cause any more disturbances, Keith makes his way out the door, clothed in his casual attire. Something pointy abruptly jabs into his skin and makes it way up to his shoulder and wraps around his neck. Roku.

Constant nudges on the cheek effortlessly stop any of Keith’s attempts to put his animal companion back underneath the covers of the blankets. _Welp, I guess he’s coming too._

 

. . . . .

 

The chilly air creates clouds of smoke from Keith’s exhalations. It’s unfortunate that the training grounds don’t open until eight. The dining rooms, on the other hand, open at seven. But Keith wasn’t hungry; at least, not yet. He settles atop a cubed cinder block containing various succulent plants and stares at the colosseum in front of him.

The dew that forms along the walls of the training arena basks in the sunlight overhead. It glistens in full glory at every rectangular block of the sleek limestone and ever-so-slowly melts away from the growing warmth.

Keith leans back and stares into a clear blue, cloud-free sky. A gust of the wind tussles his hair around, waving it back and forth. The strands of hair slap Roku in the face and he crawls down Keith’s arm and onto his lap.

Now comfortable and emerged from the shadows, he reveals himself: At a slender length of about 2 feet, dark shade of red scales fall from head to tail. Roku’s winged shoulders lift into the air happily, and the sharp horns surrounding the side of his face gently poke into Keith’s palm as the exotic lizard creature rubs into it.

Sensing the affection made his owner smile, Roku playfully nibbles on Keith’s fingers. He darts from one arm to the other then swiftly crawls around each shoulder, alternating between movements. The pointed claws of all four legs tickle the skin beneath his clothing, and it releases a casual laugh from Keith. Pleased with his owner’s much happier state, Roku stops and positions himself on Keith’s lap once again.

  
“There shouldn’t be any reason for you to keep hiding…” Keith softly pokes the top of Roku’s head.

Roku responds only with a small puff of flames from his mouth. As the smoke clears, he climbs up Keith’s arm and perches on his right shoulder, nibbling at his ear, though much rougher this time.

“Hungry?” Keith asks.

Only a low roar is heard.

“Breakfast it is, then.” Keith opens his menu screen.

 

**Mochi: 0**

 

“Ah…right,” Keith remembers. Unfortunately, all the remainder of his food supplies were wasted during their last dungeon conquest. Shiro had some, but obviously he didn’t want to wake his brother up right now.

“Sorry pal. I’m empty-handed.” Keith shakes both his hands out. “You can snack on some of the food in the dining room. At least until I can get you more mochi.”

Roku acknowledges with a grumble and camouflages into hiding.

Keith gets up from the cinder block and makes his way back to the training center. Surprised by the crowded view of people, he checks the clock on his menu.

8:40 a.m.

_My skills of passing the time never cease to amaze me…_

 

“Hey! Hey, you!” Keith stops and closes his screen. He turns to the source of the voice. Apparently, someone was calling him.

From afar, a boy of about his height, standing with a group of 3 other players motions for Keith to come over.  
He hears Roku growl from behind.

“Relax, buddy.” Even when easing the pet dragon, Keith could feel something wasn’t right. The invitation sounded too overly friendly.

Up close, the boy has a side bang pulled to his left and is half a head taller than Keith.

“Try not to do anything rash now, Keith.” He tells himself.

“You know, you look really familiar,” The boy says. The 3 other players only stare apathetically.

_Oh no._

“Yeah!” The boy persists. “Didn’t I tell you, guys? Doesn’t he look like that one kid or something?”

“Ehh.”  
“I dunno, Griffin.”  
“Did you lose any brain cells in your last fight, James?”

“Appreciate the help, guys.” James rolls his eyes. “Still. Were you one of those… beta-testers?”

The word stabs Keith as it is spoken, whereas the other guild members become more alive at the term.

“Ooohhh. Well, now that you’re using proper vocabulary, he kinda does.”  
“Hey, I can kinda see it now too! The hair, the outfit, the face.”  
“Meh.”

Feeling overwhelmed, Keith tries to find a way to escape.  
“Sorry. You might’ve gotten me confused with someone else. Anyways, I’ve gotta-“

“Come on now. What’s the rush, huh?” James forces a laugh and roughly pats Keith on the shoulder. “Just answer the question.”

“I’m telling you,” Keith repeats once more. “You’ve got the wrong guy.”

“Ohhh, do I?”

In that instance, Keith feels his stomach drop.

That tone… it was nothing short of malicious intent and hostility. There was no denying it. Keith could feel his body temperature decrease exponentially and he trembles as a result. If he hadn’t worked on putting up a blasé front, anyone would’ve been able to call it out.

A drop of sweat falls alongside Keith’s face.  
_FUCK._

“Do I have the wrong person?” James asks again and steps closer to Keith.

Shiro had taught him countless times how to control his temperament. It’s been a while since his last skirmish, thanks to the fact that the brothers have been making an effort to lay low. But this guy… was really pushing it! Things are getting ugly too quick! What, he can’t mind his own damn business?! Roku prepares for an assault, but hidden hand motions from his owner order him to stay put.

Keith makes, yet, another peaceful attempt to leave. “Like I said. You’ve got the wrong guy.”

“Oohh, is that how it is?” James stares into Keith’s deep violet eyes. “You’re just gonna _pretend_ nothing happened?”

Understanding what he was likely insinuating, Keith grits his teeth, feeling the heat within his body boil. “Back off, man.”

“Ohhh, okay. You wanna play innocent. And here I thought you’d have the balls to just tell it like it is.”

James leans forward towards Keith’s ear. “Better watch out, Kogane.” He whispers. “It’d be a real shame if everyone here knew about-“

Those words in mid-sentence sucked out whatever remnants of self-control Keith had left and he swings his right arm at full speed. The punch lands a clean shot right on the jaw and sends James toppling over. His guild members merely step back to give space for his landing.

“Oh, fuck!”  
“Wow James. You really got some air time.”  
“!!!”

James lays on the ground and holds the side of his face in pain, visibly purple from the impact. He manages to get back on his feet, but still a bit wobbly from dizziness. “Whatever. C’mon guys, let’s get outta here.” He flips Keith off as the guild walks away.

A small crowd had formed to watch the altercation. Keith, worried his presence may draw in more people, turns and speed walks toward the training center with his head low to the ground.

 

. . . . .

 

A splash of cold water from the sink is like a breath of fresh air.  
If only it really was.

“Breathe, Keith. Remember, deep breaths.” He could hear Shiro’s low, consoling voice repeat in his head. “In… and out… In… and out…”

But still shaken from James’s provocative approach, Keith takes big gasps of air at a steady pace. He grabs the fabric his jacket, feeling his chest expand and contract alongside the sharp stings on his sides as he inhales and exhales.

He needed Shiro here. But- at the same time, he didn’t want him here either. He’s already put too much on his brother’s shoulders.

“Roku?-“ Keith manages to call out.

The dragon emerges from hiding and stands on a metal platform just below the mirror that Keith stares into. The lizard hisses ferociously at Keith.

“You can ask for a lot of things,” Keith remarked. “But not roasted human.”

A pink tongue flickers over the tiny fangs as the creature’s face gradually softens. He arches his back and flails his bat wings into the air, tilting his head in a curious manner. For a moment, boy and beast stare into each other; amber eyes tackle violet eyes. Keith’s heartbeat is soon reduced to a smooth pace. Jagged breaths now flowed evenly and long beads of sweat gradually evaporated from his face. Moving slowly, Roku makes his way back up on Keith’s shoulder and roughly nibbles at his ear once more, reminding him what he was supposed to do.

Roku is met with a light ‘boop' to the snout. “What would I do without you?”

 

* * *

 

Three pancakes, a spoonful of scrambled eggs, and two slices of bacon. Keith scrunches his nose at the sight of the food in his tray. In all truthfulness, he was starving to dig in and chow down. But the fact that they were dead cold made him a bit hesitant. This is what happens when you show up close to noon for a breakfast buffet.

Lunch meals were already in preparation and anything from the morning shift was getting tossed out. Luckily, he spots two last hashbrowns hiding in a table pan just a few feet away. The last thing he needed to complete a well-deserved breakfast.

But someone beat him to it by just a fraction of a second. A fork stabs into the patties and is placed into a dish.

“Hey! That was-“ Keith starts. But once their eyes met, any lingering animosity disappeared.

“Hunk?”

“Oh, hey Keith!” Hunk waves. “Last minute breakfast, too?"  


. . .

 

“Did you hear?” Hunk asks as he puts one hashbrown onto Keith’s tray. “Apparently, two guys got into a scuffle earlier today.”

“Yeah…” Keith toys with his strips of bacon.

“Honestly, it’s waaay to early in the morning to start something like that.”

“Yeah… No kidding…”

_Better watch out, Kogane._

The threat sears into Keith’s mind and now the scrambled eggs don’t look appetizing anymore. He sighs and impetuously lets go of his fork. It clangs against the tray, startling Hunk.

“Woah, woah. Arrre you okay?”

Keith looks up. “Hmm?”

“Are you okay?” Hunk asks again. “You look really tense.”

Keith stabs his fork into a pancake, letting it stand vertically upright this time. “I’m-“

“I mean, I can leave if you want-" Hunk sputters.

“No, no. You’re fine.” Keith reassures his acquaintance. “It’s just… stupid to me how people are picking fights with each other even though we’re all in the same situation here.”

“True. I don’t blame people for being scared, but taking it out on others doesn’t do anything beneficial.” Hunk shoves an entire pancake into his mouth. “So are you feeling much better?”

“From?” Keith asks, puzzled. _He doesn’t exactly know that I was part of the scuffle, so what’s he talking about?_

“Our failure of a training match yesterday.”

_Oh, right._

“Well, the frustration is still there,” Keith chooses his words carefully. “But I’m not blowing up like before, so I guess that’s good.”

Still feeling guilty for lashing out the other day, he tries to apologize. “About that-“

“Don’t be sorry,” Hunk didn’t even hesitate to interrupt. “It was a reasonable reaction. Lance and I are just thankful we didn’t die for real. Again.”

_Lance._

“I know he can be a bit impulsive sometimes, but he grows on you. It’s been several weeks, but I’m getting better at learning to roll with the punches.”

“So…” Keith cautiously begins. “Where is Lance?”

“I don’t know?” Hunk taps his fingers on the table. “He woke up before me, which is pretty surprising. But my guess is he’s probably training? He wasn’t very talkative with other players last night.”

“And you’re not training with him?”

“Well, after the heap of stuff that happened yesterday,” Hunk pushes his hair back with both hands. “I - for one - am in need of a short break. Plus, your brother asked me just a while ago to meet up with him so we can talk to some of the new players.”

Hunk throws the last spoonful of eggs into his mouth and quickly chugs down a glassful of orange juice. “If you’re gonna go looking for Lance,” he adds, “I’m sure you can take a wild guess which training room he’d be in.”

He grabs his empty tray and gets up from the table. “I’ll see you later then, Keith.” Hunk smiles.

Keith puts his hand up in response, smiling back. A brief conversation, but it was enough to leave him feeling more cheerful.

Keith stands and stretches his arms into the air. He could feel some joints snap and crack as he hunches his back from the satisfaction.

 

**_Ding!_ **

_Huh? The notification alarm?_  
  
  
Keith opens his menu screen.

**gourmandmastermind13 has sent you a gift! (12:33 p.m.)**

 

 _A gift?_ Keith clicks open the message.

 **1 Mochi Bag.**  
_Note: Lance said you had an animal friend too? :)_

 

Roku roars in delight. Keith accepts the gift into his inventory and immediately opens the snack bag for consumption.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

 

* * *

 

A part of Keith felt hesitant to find Lance as he made his way up to the 2nd floor of the training center. Hell, what should he even say when they come face-to-face? There are so many possible ways things could go wrong, yet so many ways things could turn out okay too. Would a verbal argument ensue? Another fist fight? Awkward stares? The unnecessary stress was starting to annoy Keith. He couldn’t quite put his finger on why he even needed to feel this way in the first place.

Maybe he should’ve gone with Hunk to find Shiro. He could just stand around and listen in on their random conversations. But then again, knowing how the news of his brawl spread like wildfire, Keith knew that option was a no-go; knowing his older brother could easily put the pieces together, it was not going to be a thrilling chat between players; not with yesterday’s outburst coming into play either.

Keith reaches in the main hall of the second floor; the receptionist’s desk is just a few feet away in front of him.  
Okay, guess we’re doing this.

“Hey.”

“Hi again, Keith. Going to train some more?”

“You know me.”

“Did you want Deck #28?” The girl has a smirk on her lips.

The implication is enough to make Keith’s heart rate pick up speed. But he does his best to maintain his composure. “What makes you think I would want to train there?”

“Well,” The girl casually looks back at her computer. “A certain someone has already booked it for the next several hours. But he asked me to set it in private mode. Said he didn’t want an audience.”

“Oh…” _Now that’s baffling._

“Yeap. But he did say that he allowed people to train with him so long as they asked me first.” The girl locks eyes with Keith once more. “It’s just so he knows that it’s someone he’s already acquainted with. So, do you want to go join him?”

Keith could feel Roku’s body pulse from snickering and Keith pouts in mild displeasure. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what this girl was hinting at, so she’s definitely been listening around, that’s for sure. At least she wasn’t completely insensitive, something Keith was grateful for. “Yeah, sure. Thanks.”

Keith sends her his profile information from his menu screen and she effortlessly enters it into the system.

“Okay. You’re all set. You guys have until 5:00 p.m.”

“Thanks alot.” Keith makes his way towards the arena’s entrance.

“And Keith.” He turns his head halfway to see the receptionist’s face at the corner of his eye. “Don’t mess up.”

 

. . .

 

Lance feels his head spinning more so than last time. He struggles to eye one drone in the numerous group hovering over him.

_They were only set to level 2!_

Eight hours of sleep should be enough; there was no gust of wind what-so-ever either since he didn’t activate the drones to circle above. Yet, dryness steadily crept around Lance’s eyes and gradually blurred his vision.

_Why was this so much easier the first time he practiced with Hunk?_

The archer forces himself to take aim at one of his robotic opponents. Three fingers were rashy from pulling back the arrows and his shoulders were straining with pain from the stress of the resisting drawstring. Visibly shaking from almost three hours of nonstop training, Lance’s body agonizingly tells him it’s time to stop and rest.

_No more. You’ve done enough._

But his mind counters the suggestion.

_C’mon, just a few more to go and I can move on!_

In a stubborn attempt to continue, Lance releases the arrow. It merely grazes at his desired target and sticks itself into the wall directly ahead. As programmed, the remaining drones charge up and prepare to fire back.

Drained from relentless combat, Lance just stands, leaving both arms hanging at his sides and breathing sharply.

He didn’t care about running away and taking cover or even reaching back to grab another arrow. He just wanted it to be over with… He just wanted to hurry up…

A flash of light from the laser beams snaps Lance back into the harsh reality. He takes a step back from the sudden shock and contemplates the possibility of dodging; just enough not to get thrown back.

But time wasn’t on his side. And the forces of the combined strings of light launches the worn-out sharpshooter nearly 10 feet back and crashing against the cold platinum wall.

The drones slowly encircle Lance once more, floating with a mild bounce mid-air. Unwilling to take another shot, he collects his thoughts fast enough to gasp out, “End simulation!”

Everything in the arena halts as if time itself had frozen.

The power light from each mini-bots individually dies out and they make their way into an opening exit in the wall.

Then, silence. The only thing disrupting that so-called tranquil hush of the empty arena was Lance’s short, quick breaths.

Now surrounded by a vacant arena, Lance feels a chill run down his spine.  
The sound of drones attacking and whirring noises were able to keep his mind occupied for a good while. Or, more specifically, distracted. But it eventually had to come to an end at some point. Nothing but a hollow center and chilling metal engulfed his body, holding no remorse for his fears.

Lance pushes his legs inward and wraps his left arm around them. With his right, he opens his profile.

 

**Lance McClain**

**Level 16**

**HP: 3,200/3,200**

**Silver: 16,100**

**Gold: 33**

**EXP until Level Up: 950**

 

Overall, Lance wasn’t in any physical pain. That was one of the perks of playing a virtual reality game like LDO. The “Pain Absorber” was automatically set to a scale of 10 max for everybody, so there was no worrying about the sensation of injury. The important thing was to make sure your health bar didn’t decrease to zero. And in the training grounds, that wasn’t a problem at all.

Regardless, Lance couldn’t help the suffocating in his chest. And this wasn’t because of his still-uneven breathing either. There was pressure building up in his throat and was itching to escape. Holding it back hurts, but letting go is such a vulnerable act; feats that are both sides of the same coin.

He had enough time to pound some stress out in battle, but that can only do so much.  
Only Mama McClain could see through him.  
Whether it was through a typical episode of venting emotions or placing his head on her lap as she brushed her hand on his head in silence, Lance could always rely on his mother for comfort. And that comfort was something he was in desperate need of.

But she wasn’t here.

No one was here.

Unable to endure the tension in his heart any longer, Lance sobs softly into his arms, soaking his tears and muffling the sound of his wheezing into his sleeves.

No one was here with him.

No one was here for him.

 

He cries for what feels like an eternity before he calms himself down enough to actually hear footsteps grow louder and louder. Someone was approaching him.

“Hunk,” Lance rubs his eyes and does his best to stifle the whimper in his voice. “I thought you said were gonna hang with Shiro?”

“He is.”

“He?”  
_Why would Hunk refer to himself in the third person? Unless-_

Lance peeks up from behind his arms. His eyesight was still hazy, but that hairdo is so hard to miss.  


. . . . .

 

“You.” Lance turns away to dab his eyes once more, attempting to hide the miserable state he was in. “are not Hunk.”

“No… I’m not.” Keith crosses his arms and looks around the arena, pretending to admire the tasteful design choices. “I see you’ve been training hard.”

Just like the other day when they were doing a mock combat fight with the gladiator, Keith vividly remembers the despair in Lance’s face right before battle and how well he brushed it off like it was nothing; it was a skill Keith himself learned and polished to perfection.

But seeing Lance grieve and show distress was gut-wrenching. How he presented himself to the world was contrary to who he truly was.  
And Keith knew this feeling all too well.

“It’s only been three hours.” Lance declared through soft hiccups. “I’ve got another two to kill before my reservation time is used up. What, did you want to train?

_There he goes again._

“I did,” Keith replied half-truthfully. “But I changed my mind.”

“Really?” Lance chuckles. “ _You_ changed your mind? Mr. I-Have-To-Workout? That doesn’t sound like you, Mullet.”

“I could say the same for you too.”

The words left Keith’s mouth before his common sense kicked in. _This isn’t the time to start a banter, you dumbass!_

Surprisingly, a small smile form across Lance’s face and he leans back onto the cool metal of the walls. “I guess you’re right.”

Sensing the more comfortable atmosphere, Keith sits down beside the archer at an arm’s length away and begins inquiring more about his intentions. “So are you gonna tell me why haven’t you given yourself a break yet?”

Lance looks ahead into the vast space ahead, not giving an answer.

Keith’s heart drops for a moment. Did he make a mistake? Was he sound too pushy? He hasn’t overstepped any boundaries, has he?

“I just wanted to level up faster. That’s all.”

The simplicity in that reply gave room for Keith to breathe again.

“I saw your stats when we trained together.” Lance continues. “We’ve only been stuck here for about two weeks or so, but you and Shiro were already levels past me and Hunk.”

Lance pulls his legs in and covers his face with his arms again. “When you blew up the other day about our failure, it got me thinking about how short-sighted I really was and I got scared.”

Keith sits still and remains quiet. _Who knew he could be so reflective?_  
He wanted to say something, but instead patiently listens as the echoes of Lance’s voice bounce around the room.

“You made it sound as if one mistake could lead to drastic consequences. So I figured if I leveled up faster and got stronger faster, I could- I could plow through this damn game and go home. I just- it all feels like a dream, yet-“

Lance’s eyes grew wet as he chokes on his words and Keith felt a slight flare of panic. Is he gonna cry again?

_What should I do?_

_What can I do?_

Lance had expressed enough of his inner emotional turmoil that it was highly likely to bring about another waterwork incident, so there was no way a set of sentences were going to put them at ease. Since childhood, Keith knew his communication skills were nothing short of deplorable in comparison to Shiro’s; often deadpan and dry. The only thing that came to mind was the sentiment of touch. Something about it didn’t feel right, but before he could come up with any reason to oppose the idea, Keith’s body ultimately makes the first move.

Lance suddenly feels a gentle tug at his waist as Keith pulls them closer together. The tingle from the slight pressure on his side was enough to ignite an ever-growing blush that soon consumed his entire face. “Wha-! Kei-?!”

Lance turns his head to peer at Keith’s face. But Keith doesn’t look at him; he doesn’t look at him at all. He just stares straight ahead with a frown, purposely avoiding eye contact. But there was no denying the shade of redness that engulfed his cheeks.

With no energy to spare and reluctantly accepting the embrace, Lance stops squirming within Keith’s grasp and they sit, gazing at the vacancy ahead.  
The hand that lingered on Lance’s waist soon make its way to his shoulders and slowly begins brushing up and down in a rhythmic pattern, pushing back his troubles and trepidation through the soothing friction of skin and cloth.

They knew. They knew that both their fears, both their insecurities… It was never going to go away, not when they were stuck here. But right now, nothing was more pacifying than coming to a temporary truce and taking in the tenderness of their combined warmth in the midst of complete silence.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Whoo! What a day.” Shiro collapses on his bed - hair still moderately wet from showering - with a poofy-furred Leila jumping on right behind. “So many questions, so little time.”

“So how’d it go?” Keith asks.

“Overall, it went great.” Shiro proclaimed happily. “In short, there was a variety of players with different skills and knowledge, you could say. Some were bold and well-informed, some were clueless and scared…”

“I was also really impressed with Hunk’s diplomatic and friendly approach,” Shiro adds. “He really knows a lot about LDO despite being one of the more newer players.”

“Anyways, I could go on and on, but enough about me.” The older brother sits up and lovingly hugs his arctic fox, receiving a lick in return. “How’d training go with Lance?”

Keith feels a flush of heat rush to his face and the scene replays in his mind.  


. . . . .

 

 _An automated robotic voice fills the battleground._  
_Time’s Up! Please exit the training deck!_

_Coming to their senses, Lance and Keith jolt awake. Perhaps the boys grew too comfortable within that time that, somehow, once they separated from each other’s grasp, it could be considered an excruciating act of torture._

_Not a word was spoken for the last two hours reserved for so-called training. Even so, was there even anything they could they say that wouldn’t soil the fragile delicacy of their solace?_

_Lance musters up the courage to head out first. As he walks out of Keith’s reach, Keith’s hand lingers in the air where Lance’s waist was, as if begging for the wandering heat to come back and stay._

_Keith opens his mouth, wondering what he should say at this point. But he couldn’t find the words._

_Instead, it’s Lance who breaks the silence._

_“Thanks, Mullet.”_

_There was not a belligerent tone in that sentence; teasing maybe, but it was short and to-the-point. Lance turns his head halfway and bestows one last affectionate smile before making his way out the door, leaving Keith, taking both hands to cover his face, to be reduced to a flustered mess._  


. . . . .

 

“It went okay.” Keith finally says.

“Really? That’s great!” Shiro was delighted at the news. “I’m glad things worked out better for the two of you this time.”

“Yeah, me too.”

So, did you put Roku back in battle or…?”

“He- Uhhh-” Keith sorts through his mind to come up with a convincing lie.

Now that he thought about it, he had momentarily forgotten about Roku’s presence. He was so caught up in the whole situation with Lance that he didn’t think twice about his pet dragon. But now that Shiro mentioned it, Keith had a burning desire to one day show his animal companion to Lance; to share the one thing in his life that made him happy in this pathetic virtual world; to no longer have to hide.

It sounded so silly, so childish; it was too risky a move. But the thought of doing something as small as this pleased him as much as it bewildered the logical side of him, no matter how hard he tried to push it away.

Keith’s train of thought was interrupted by the sudden sound of a door knock.

“Come in.” Shiro answers.

Before the brothers could see who was at the door, two bags come flying towards Keith’s face, one transparent and one multi-colored.

“What the-?!” Keith yells.

“Keep it down, Helmet Hair! It’s late!”

_Helmet Hair???_

“What the hell, Lance!”

“You should be thanking me, Mr. Grumpypants!” Lance retorts. “This took a lot of effort to get!”

“What are you talking about?!”

“Just open the damn bags and you’ll see! I’m going to back to bed. Good night, Shiro.”

“Wait a second-!”

“I owed you one, Keith.”

And with that soft whisper, the night transitioned to serenity.

Sitting in the room full of shadows illuminated only by the artificial moonlight, the brothers and their pets stared at the bag offerings.

“Well, aren’t you gonna open it?” Shiro asks, breaking Keith out of a trance.

A sense of mixed emotions flooded Keith’s mind. He felt like he didn’t deserve the gifts? But at the same time, there was a lightness in his chest that made him awfully happy, which was only contained out of fear of embarrassing himself in front of Shiro.

Keith opens the small multi-colored bag first and the room was enveloped in the savory smell of mochi. Immediately, Roku jumps off of his shoulder and digs into the bag. Leila scurries over to his bedside and the two animals tussle over each piece of the rice cakes.

The transparent bag, on the other hand, was soft, malleable, and shaped into a square. It was a bit difficult to make out the color, or what it even was since they sat in the absence of light. _It’s definitely not food. A souvenir, maybe? Some sort of merchandise?_

Keith mindlessly tears the bag open and gravity does its magic as multiple shades of red silky fabric falls out onto the floor, along with a pair of red lion slippers.

“Sooo, training went _really well_ for you guys, then.” Shiro playfully provoked.

Thank god for the darkness, because Keith felt his face heat up and a flush of pink fill his face. His only response was to crumple the bag and toss it at Shiro. The piece of plastic flails halfway in the air and falls flat on the floor, inciting a laugh from the elder brother.

Keith growls in frustration as he yanks his new pajama set onto the bed and turns away to face the wall on his side of the bed.

“Oookay then. Good night, Keith.” Shiro calls Leila by patting on his mattress and the fox, after nibbling the last crumb of mochi, immediately joins her owner.

Keith didn’t respond back with the same phrase or with a witty remark. He didn’t need to verbalize anything. Shiro saw this kind of reaction many times when they were growing up together, so much that he was comfortable being either the one to close a discussion or be the one left hanging. But in this case, ignoring his brother’s nightly wishes to avoid more teasing was only part of the reason. Keith merely didn’t want to be seen smiling like an idiot over something as trivial as a new pair of jammies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm happy I got to finishing this chapter. It was already halfway done since last year but I just didn't feel like writing. -3-
> 
> At first, I envisioned Keith and Lance actually training together and being able to beat a gladiator with less problems. But I somehow went for angst and fluff instead?  
> And yeah, James Griffin is an @$$ here. XD
> 
> I'm also kinda conflicted now between making Lance or Keith the main character, so I guess I could transition from it being between the two of them? ^^;
> 
> Either way, I want to try and give all the characters a chance in the spotlight.~
> 
> So cross your fingers praying I can pull it off! >w<


End file.
